Review:

As reviews go, this has been one of the hardest. I’ve been working on it for weeks and discovered something important. Sadly, “palace-style” pu’erh does not agree with my stomach no matter how weak I make it. While I love the taste and coffee thick consistency of the liquor, I’m unable to drink more than two small cups before my it goes sour on my insides.

I’ve looked high and low for more information regarding this style of tea and what makes it so upsetting to my digestive system but came up empty-handed. Here is what Seven Cups has to say about this offering:

…the most popular grades of puer tea are the middle to large size leaves. Yunnan tea makers in the late Ming and Qing Dynasties, used younger leaf and bud material to make large compressed “ren tuo cha” — that is “human head” sized balls of tea. The oldest example of compressed puer tea that survives today is one of these ren tuo cha that was gifted to the Qing emperor. It was allegedly the Qing royal family custom to drink Shi Feng Dragon Well green tea in the summer time and fine aged puer tea made from young buds during the winter. The tea was thought to be a necessary compliment to the diet during the dormant winter months.

I do want to be clear that I loved the funky-dank flavor and aroma of this tea. I’m just unable to get through a gong-fu session before my stomach cries stop. This is the second tea I’ve had in this style and will probably be my last. While I have to admit my experience with pu’erh tea is in its baby stages, due to other stomach problems I will have to make this “palace pu’erh” my last.

If you like or are looking for a cup of tea that will compete with an expresso this is it. Tar black and just as thick its intensity is mind-blowing with a sweet funky-dankness. For those with any food or digestive sensitivity, you’ll probably want to admire it from afar.

Since I could not finish a Gong-Fu session, I’m only going to be going over the base ratings and give it 4 stars across the board because my taste buds loved it. I’m sure if I had been able to handle it, this powerhouse would have gotten five.

Gong-Go Tasting

Dry Aroma:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Damp forest and peat notes

Appearance:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Uniform dark twisted leaves w/out any fannings

Liquor:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tar black and just as thick

Taste:

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟

A sweet funky-dankness unlike any other

Mouth Feel:

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟

Thick and viscous

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Lifetime tea lover and blogger sharing the joy of Gong-Go, a flash-fusion brew style for the modern active lifestyle. Writer and aspiring author, I also love growing heirloom tomatoes and turning my pictures into works of art.